You can now install and run WordPress on directly from a Windows desktop or server via Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) without installing third-party apps or using a virtual machine. Back in 2017, Microsoft released WSL and later WSL2 which lets developers run a GNU/Linux environment, including most command-line tools, utilities, and applications directly in Windows without setting up a virtual machine or dual-boot. WSL2 is the new and improved version that comes with a performance boost, and full system call compatibility, and is built with a new architecture that delivers features that make WSL an amazing way to run a Linux environment in Windows. With Windows 11, installing WSL is a bit different than in Windows 10. However, the steps below are going to show you how to do that. To install and run WordPress on Windows 11 you must first install and enable WSL.

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux in Windows 11

To enable WSL in Windows, you will want to open the Command Prompt as administrator. Click on Start then begin typing Command Prompt. Next, right-click Command Prompt app and choose to Run as administrator. When the console opens, run the commands below to install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL): Wait for WSL to be installed. After installing, you should get a success message similar to the lines below: Restart your computer. WSL should be installed and ready to use. When you want to update, simply run the commands below:

Install Specific Linux distro on Windows 11

Now that WSL is installed, you can now install the Linux distro of your choice. To list the available distributions to install, simply run the commands below: You should then see all available distributions that can be installed on WSL. To install a Linux distribution from the list above, simply run the commands below using the distribution name. For example, to install Ubuntu 20.04, run the commands below: You should then get a message that the distribution is installed. After installing, you should get a Ubuntu command console with setup details. Some troubleshooting commands to run when you run into issues. Now that Ubuntu Linux is installed and ready to use, continue below to install the LEMP server to run WordPress on. First, install Nginx HTTP Server.

Install Nginx HTTP Server

WordPress requires a web server to function, and Nginx is one of the most popular open-source web servers available today. To install Nginx on Ubuntu, run the commands below: After installing Nginx, the commands below can be used to stop and start Nginx services. To test whether Nginx is installed and functioning, open your web browser and browse to the server’s IP address or hostname. http://localhost If you see the above page in your browser, then Nginx is working as expected.

Install MariaDB Server

You’ll also need a database server to run WordPress. A database server is where WordPress content gets stored. A truly open-source database server that you can use with WordPress is the MariaDB database server. It is fast, secure and the default server for almost all Linux servers. To install MariaDB, run the commands below: After installing MariaDB, the commands below can be used to stop, start and enable the MariaDB service always to start up when the server boots. Next, run the commands below to secure the database server with a root password if you were not prompted to do so during the installation. When prompted, answer the questions below by following the guide.

Enter current password for root (enter for none): Just press the Enter Set root password? [Y/n]: Y New password: Enter password Re-enter new password: Repeat password Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]:  Y Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]:  Y

To verify and validate that MariaDB is installed and working, log in to the database console using the commands below: type the root password when prompted. If you see a similar screen as shown above, then the server was successfully installed.

WordPress is a PHP-based application, and PHP is required to run it. Run the commands below to install PHP and related modules to support WordPress. After installing PHP, go and configure some basic settings that may be required for WordPress to function properly. For this tutorial, PHP 7.4 was installed. Based on your environment, another version of PHP might be installed. So verify that. Below are good settings to configure for most WordPress websites. That should get PHP 7.4 installed with some basic settings to allow WordPress to function. After setting up PHP, the command below can be used to stop and start PHP7.4 services.

Create WordPress Database

When all the servers are installed above, it’s now time to begin setting up the WordPress environment. First, run the steps below to create a blank database for WordPress to use. Login to MariaDB database console using the commands below: Then create a database called wpdb Next, create a database user called wpdbuser and set a password Then grant the user full access to the database. Finally, save your changes and exit.

Download WordPress

At this point, WordPress is ready to be downloaded and installed. Use the commands below to download the latest version of WordPress. Then run the command below to allow the www-data user to own the WordPress directory.

Configure Nginx VirtualHost

Below is where you configure the Nginx VirtualHost file for the WordPress site you’re creating. This file defines how client requests are handled and processed. Run the commands below to create a new VirtualHost file called WordPress in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/ directory. A very good configuration setting for most WordPress sites on the Nginx server is below. This configuration should work great. Copy the content below and save it into the file created above. Save the file and exit. After saving the file above, run the commands below to enable the new site, then restart the Nginx server. At this stage, WordPress is ready and can be launched by going to the server’s IP or hostname. That should bring up the WordPress setup wizard. Type in the database connection and continue Create a WordPress admin account and password, then click Install WordPress Log in with the account above and you’re done. That’s it! Conclusion: This post showed you how to install WSL 2 on Windows 11, install Ubuntu and run WordPress. If you find any error above please use the comment form below to report.